Tennis racket



Oct. 29, 1929.

v C. 'L. GODFREY TENNI S RACKET Filed Jan. 21, 1929 i la INVENTOR.

@PLMXQO Jlfiobjwg BY I Patented Oct. 29, 1929 s'rArs UNIT-E I new TENNIS neeirnr Refiled for (abandoned) application Serial No. 667,4G7, filed October 9, 1323.

January 21, 1929..

This invention relates to tennis rackets, having more particular reference to the arrangement of the strings of the racket, the invention having for an object to increase 5 the strength of the stringed surface of the racket, at the centre thereof, in a simple manner.

The present invention was disclosed by me 7 in an abandoned application filed in the 10 United States Patent Office on October 9,

1923, Serial No. 667,467. 4

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and

to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

Fig. 1 of the drawing is a face view showing a tennis racket showing the closely spaced central strings.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary face View of a modified form of the tennis racket showing the central strings spread apart at the points where they emerge from the frame.

Figs. 3 and 4 are similar views to Fig. but showing modifications.

Fig. is a detail transverse sectional view. Referring now to the drawing, the racket 39' comprises the usual elliptical frame 10 and handle 11. which may be made of wood in the usual manner. This frame is formed with the usual holes through which the strings are passed. The strings which form the marginal portions of the hitting surface of the racket are passed through these openings in the usual manner, the longitudinal strings being shown at 12 and the transverse ones at 13, these transverse and longitudinal strings being interwoven as is usual.

At the central part of the racket I have doubled the number of strings thereby increasing the strength of this central part, which is the part most frequently struck by the ball 4 in playing. The strings at the centre of the 'two strings passed-through a common hole in,

This application filed Serial No. 333,770. 4

racket are doubled innumber and spaced at half the distance apart, withoutincreaslng the numberof holes in the frame to receive these strings, apair of strings being passed through a single hole, these strings being spread apart as they cross the racket at a, distance one half that between adjacent holes so that all these strings at the centre arespaced apart at equal distanceQQf-these closely spaced. strings the longitudinal ones are numbered 15 and the transverse ones are numbered 16, theselon'gitudinal and transverse strings being interwoven in the-usual manner. 1 I

Referringnow to the means for spreading apart the respective strings of each pair. In

the followingdescription I-have described the arrangement asv applied to one iof the sides of the racket. A To spread apart the the side of thefra ne I mayemploy anaddition'al string 18 which is looped'around these strings and also around the frame 10. This string as shown is passed in loops around one string of each pair so as to draw said strings toward one: another, and spread the respective strings of each pair, the'string- 18 being looped alternately around the said strings and the frame 10. The string 18 is preferably arranged, where looped around I the strings 16, to passover that string under which the adjacent one of the longitudinal marginal string 12 passes, and under the other one, over which latter thesaid marginal string passes. j I f In the embodiment of theinvention shown in Fig. 3 I employ a string 20 which is passed in loops around the strings- 16 and is passed at points between said loops under a second string 21' which I is wound 1 around i the frame 10. v f Inthe embodiment of-the invention shown in" Fig. 4 I employ the string 20 looped around thestrings 16, but instead ofthis string being engaged between the loops by the second string 21 it is passed under a wire 22 which extends along the inner face of the frame 10 and secured to the latter at intervals, the wire 2-2 being preferably secured to the frame by doubling it upon itself as shown in Fig. '5 and passing the doubled portions outward through the holes of the frame, a second wire 23 being extended along the frame and passed through the eyes 22 formed at the outer ends of these doubled portions.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows openings evenly spaced therearound, strings passed through said openings, the openings adjacent the central parts of the frame each having a pair of strings passed therethrough, the respective strings of each pair being spread apart to form at the centre of the racket a hitting surface. having its strings evenly spaced apart one-half the distance of the strings at the marginal portions of the racket, and means en aged with the frame of the racket for spreading such strings apart adjacent said frame.

2. In a tennis racket, a frame formed with openings evenly spaced therearound, strings passed through said openings, the openings adjacent the central parts of the frame each having a pair of strings passed therethrough, the respective strings of each pair being spread apart to form at the centre of the racket a hitting surface having its strings evenly spaced apart one-half the distance of the strings at the marginal portions of the racket, and means engaged with the frame of the racket for spreading such strings apart adjacent said frame, said means comprising a singlestring engaged with said strings and with the frame of the racket.

3. In a tennis racket, a frame formed with openings spaced therearound, strings passed through said openings, the openings adjacent the central parts of the frame each having a pair of strings passed therethrough, the respective'strings of each pair being spread apart to form at the centre of the racket a hitting surface having its strings evenly spaced apart one-half the distance of the strings at the marginal portions of the racket, and means engaged with the frame of the racket for spreading such strings apart adjacent said frame, said means comprising a single string formed in loops engaging al-' 1. In a tennis racket, a frame formed with signature.

' CHARLES L. GODFREY. 

